Ben Casey

Ben Casey is an American medical drama series that aired on ABC from 1961 to 1966. The show was known for its opening titles, which consisted of a hand drawing the symbols "♂, ♀, ✳, †, ∞" on a chalkboard, as cast member Sam Jaffe uttered, "Man, woman, birth, death, infinity." Neurosurgeon Joseph Ransohoff served as a medical consultant for the show. Plot The series stars Vince Edwards as medical doctor Ben Casey, the young, intense, and idealistic neurosurgeon at County General Hospital. His mentor is chief of neurosurgery Doctor David Zorba, played by Sam Jaffe, who, in the pilot episode, tells a colleague that Casey is "the best chief resident this place has known in 20 years." In its first season, the series and Vince Edwards were nominated for Emmy awards. Additional nominations at the 14th Primetime Emmy Awards on May 22, 1962, went to Sam Jaffe, Jeanne Cooper (for the episode "But Linda Only Smiled"), and Joan Hackett (for the episode "A Certain Time, a Certain Darkness"). The show began running multi-episode stories, starting with the first five episodes of season four; Casey developed a romantic relationship with Jane Hancock (Stella Stevens), who had just emerged from a coma after 15 years. At the beginning of season five (the last season), Jaffe left the show and Franchot Tone replaced Zorba as new chief of neurosurgery, Doctor Daniel Niles Freeland. Cast Vince Edwards as Dr. Ben Casey Sam Jaffe as Dr. David Zorba (1961–1965) Harry Landers as Dr. Ted Hoffman Bettye Ackerman as Dr. Maggie Graham (In real life, Bettye Ackerman was married to Sam Jaffe.) Nick Dennis as Orderly Nick Kanavaras Jeanne Bates as Nurse Wills Don Spruance as Dr. Robert Ward Franchot Tone as Dr. Daniel Niles Freeland (1965–1966) John Zaremba as Dr. Harold Jensen Ben Piazza as Dr. Mike Rogers (1964) Jim McMullan as Dr. Terry McDaniel Gregory Morton as Walter Williams Stella Stevens as Jane Hancock Marlyn Mason as Sally Weldon Sherwood Price as Owen Carter (recurring role) Ed Gilbert as Robert Cramer (recurring role) Hari Rhodes as Gunner Garrison (recurring role) Barton Heyman as Dr. Paul Cain (recurring role) Sidney Blackmer as Dr. Morgan Granger (recurring role) Production notes Creator James E. Moser based the character of Ben Casey on Dr. Allan Max Warner, a neurosurgeon whom Moser met while researching Ben Casey. Warner served as the program's original technical advisor in 1961.